Logistics Viewpoints

APRIL 21, 2022

On one hand, consumers expect to increase their online purchases post-pandemic. Retailers and delivery services companies that can break through today’s cycle of mediocre home delivery performance stand an excellent chance of improving customer loyalty and growing market share. Here are three charts that paint the whole picture.

Optimal Sourcing 278

Optimal Sourcing Eliminating Excel in Purchasing Purchasing Skills Sourcing Strategies 278

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 30, 2023

Each executive has a different perspective on the definition of supply chain excellence, but they are never discussed and aligned. His organization purchased an advanced planning technology from well-known best of breed provider, and the implementation should have been successful, but it was not. What Is The Ring of Fire?

Supply Chain Planning Software 387

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Eliminating Excel in Purchasing 387

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 27, 2022

Supply chain excellence is easier to say than to explain. Keith led the work to move P&G from a regional to a global manufacturer opening up the Warsaw center of planning excellence and outsourcing IT to HP. Keith was an undisputed leader in building talent to drive manufacturing excellence. The reason? Discontinued in 2011.

Procurement Analytics 369

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 369

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 15, 2022

” Followed by “How are you organized, and what defines functional excellence? And, how do you tie functional excellence to corporate value?” Companies became less clear on the definition of supply chain excellence and how to implement decision support technologies. This gap grew over the last decade.

Manufacturing Procurement 397

Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Procurement Analytics 397

SCMDOJO

MARCH 24, 2025

Introduction Gardner, (1954) and Huntzinger, (2007) define Purchase price variance (PPV) as a metric used to measure the effectiveness of cost-saving efforts by calculating the difference between the planned cost (standard pricing) allocated for purchasing activities and the actual cost incurred.

Purchasing Skills 58

Purchasing Skills Negotiating Skills Negotiate Pricing Procurement Analytics 58

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 21, 2024

The shifts over the last decade are profound: Is the answer a Supply Chain Center of Excellence? So, creating a Supply Chain Center of Excellence might sound like a good idea to start. Today, 56% of global multinational companies greater than 5B in revenue have a supply chain center of excellence. Lack of executive buy-in.

Inventory Reduction 434

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Design Software 434

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 4, 2018

I wanted to say, “You let the consultants influence you to buy the wrong technologies based on IT standardization. Today, since many do not test the solutions and often buy based on IT standardization, the probability of success is about the same as playing the tables in Las Vegas. Most planning happens in Excel Spreadsheets.

Inventory Management Software 337

Inventory Management Software Inventory Reduction Inventory Management Supply Chain Planning Software 337

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 9, 2024

How Do You Define Excellence? In retrospect, I find that technology is an enabler, but only if we are clear on what defines supply chain excellence. Many believe that an ex-supply chain exec knows the definition of supply chain excellence. Supply Chains to Admire Winners 2023 Examine Your Own Paradigm. I admit it. The reason?

Supply Chain Planning Software 386

Supply Chain Planning Software Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Planning Gartner 386

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

Today, supply chain excellence matters more than ever. Until there are clear answers, business leaders should avoid buying software from companies with deep investments by venture capitalists. Kinaxis Purchase of Rubikloud. The purchase of Rubikloud by Kinaxis shows just how little the Kinaxis team knows about demand management.

Supply Chain Design Software 362

Supply Chain Design Software Procurement Solutions Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software 362

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 19, 2024

In addition, a purchase order changes three-to-four times and there is a black hole (data is caught between email systems of trading partners for one-to-two days). Purchase order data, while not as important, has the smallest gap. PE Firm Buy-out and Consolidation. Most is silo’d. Many systems without interoperability.

Supply Chain Network Software 374

Supply Chain Network Software Resource Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Manufacturing Procurement 374

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 21, 2024

In follow-up qualitative interviews, one of the largest issues with organizational alignment was metric definition and a clear definition of supply chain excellence. To manage continuous improvement, companies need a clear definition of excellence and organizational alignment to that goal. They do not excel in planning or forecasting.

Procurement Analytics 393

Procurement Analytics Metrics Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software 393

ToolsGroup

MARCH 25, 2025

The latest ML algorithms can detect subtle shifts in consumer sentiment that precede actual purchasing behavior changes by weeks or even months. ML excels in these scenarios, quickly identifying and adapting to intricate seasonal patterns and trends that traditional statistical methods miss entirely.

Supply and Demand 156

Supply and Demand Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling 156

Procurement Academy

APRIL 24, 2025

This blog explores procurement vs supply chain strategy and looks at how aligning the two leads to operational excellence. The result is a more transparent, accountable supply base that supports both cost-efficiency and operational excellence. Theyre still too often stuck in their own lanes. It doesnt have to be that way.

Optimal Sourcing 52

Optimal Sourcing Negotiating Skills Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 52

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 28, 2021

Consumers constantly change the mix preferences in purchases. Somedays, the focus is on steaks or ribs and the next on the purchase of ground or cubed meat. The Supply chain leader wants Technology from Company C, and the demand planner intends to purchase a solution from Technology Solution D. Avoid Badly Written RFP Bake-offs.

Supply Chain Planning Software 322

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Software 322

Logistics Viewpoints

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

Second, the pandemic kicked online buying and home delivery into “high gear” as many consumers embraced its convenience and dramatically expanded the scope of their online purchasing. Consumers are making purchasing decisions based upon environmental impact. So, how are these two trends mutually beneficial?

Sustainability 278

Sustainability Eliminating Excel in Purchasing Cost Reduction Strategies Resource Reduction 278

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 29, 2024

In 2012, when I started Supply Chain Insights , I believed that I could revolutionize the purchase of supply chain planning solutions by initiating a rating and review process across trading partners. Buying supply chain planning software is hard. How are people buying software? Here I share how to challenge the status quo.

Supply Chain Planning Software 417

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Software Forecasting Software 417

The Logistics of Logistics

MARCH 16, 2022

Esther is the Chief Revenue Officer at Flowspace , an ecommerce fulfillment platform that helps brands meet their customers’ post-purchase expectations. Flowspace is an ecommerce fulfillment platform that helps brands meet their customers’ post-purchase expectations. About Esther Kestenbaum Prozan. Esther’s LikedIn.

Supply Chain Network Software 245

Supply Chain Network Software Supply Chain Planning Software Network Optimization Network Optimization Software 245

Logistics Viewpoints

JUNE 8, 2023

To remain competitive, retailers and carriers must excel in the crucial last-mile delivery stage. To Build or To Buy Companies looking to implement new or improve existing delivery technology face a crucial decision: should they build an in-house platform or buy an existing solution from a vendor?

Modeling Software 278

Modeling Software Optimization Software Supply Chain Network Software Logistics Network Optimization Software 278

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 30, 2025

Aptean is orchestrating the Blue Yonder/E2open/Infor playbook of buying undervalued assets and milking the maintenance and Software-as-a-Service contracts with existing customers. This is despite the strengths of the recent purchase of Optimity. Is it any wonder that this press release published on Friday afternoon?

Supply Chain Planning Software 221

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Modeling Software 221

AIMMS

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

So should the purchasing process. . RFIs tend to work well for certain industries (like government) or for purchasing equipment and industrial assets, bu t t hey often fall short in helping supply chain teams select a new software vendor. There is valuable time and effort put in by both the supplier and the purchasing party.

Procurement Solutions 252

Procurement Solutions Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Software Supply Chain Software 252

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 2, 2021

There will be little relief in 2022 unless the factors driving the increased import volumes—a strong economy and the fundamental shift in consumer behavior to purchase more goods and less services—change. Online buying will fuel home delivery growth, challenges and new strategies.

Predictive Analytics Software 354

Predictive Analytics Software Predictive Analytics Waste Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies 354

ToolsGroup

JUNE 10, 2022

Several factors contribute to customer loyalty, but providing excellent customer service—and a top-notch experience–is one of the most important in driving retention. 6 Examples of Excellent Customer Experiences. When making purchase decisions, brands who demonstrate care for others can offer a competitive advantage.

Customer Service 295

Customer Service Examples Price Reduction Sourcing Strategies 295

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

<Bear with me… > Here I share a nine-step process in an attempt to help companies unravel the process for buying supply chain planning software. They center on how to make a good decision in the purchase of supply chain planning solutions. Most have purchased software, but are dependent on Excel spreadsheets.

Supply Chain Planning Software 252

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Software 252

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 7, 2023

Maximize the value of the purchase order flow data already in the existing networks. (A A purchase order changes many times and needs synchronization. Exostar’s purchase by Arlington Capital Partners from Thoma Bravo was completed this month. Reporting off of transportation data is a delays the signal by weeks and months.)

Supply Chain Design Software 395

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Supply Chain Software 395

Procurement Academy

JANUARY 16, 2025

A process audit report is designed to, ultimately, streamline processes, enhance decision-making and drive overall procurement excellence. Typically, a procurement audit report will review areas such as the agreement of contracts, pricing data and purchase information, financial statements, stakeholder data and supplier performance records.

Procurement Analytics 52

Procurement Analytics Sourcing Strategies Optimal Sourcing Negotiating Skills 52

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 9, 2023

The classical approach involves functional silos, sequential decisions, and Excel and people to render a plan executable. Big data is used to understand a customer’s propensity to buy, the tendency to return, conversion of clicks to orders, demand sensing signals, individualized promotions, etc.

Supply Chain Planning Software 288

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Forecasting Software Optimization Software 288

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 13, 2024

Observations on What It Takes In the Mea Culpa post, I wrote that I used to believe that excellence in S&OP was a ratio of 60/30/10. (60% The demand latency (the time of purchase in the channel to the visibility of an order) was 2-12 weeks. Do you use market drivers to understand market shifts? Each market had its own S&OP.

S&OP 393

S&OP Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Expense Reduction 393

DELMIA Quintiq

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

Provide procurement more negotiation power with suppliers of materials and services, as well as the ability to automate purchasing and production decisions based on real-time price and market data. Accomplish operational excellence and higher production quality while reducing costs, leveraging Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM).

Optimal Sourcing 296

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Optimization Supply Chain Planning Software 296

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 21, 2022

So, I smile, catch my dinner partner’s eye and ask, “In our prior conversations, you mentioned the lack of clarity on the definition of supply chain excellence in your current deployments and how this is a barrier to implementing supply chain planning properly. Were the plans feasible? Did the plans reflect all of the constraints?

Supply Chain Planning Software 376

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Modeling 376

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Initially, the output was published to procurement to design strategic buying strategies. Procurement: Purchase price variance and procurement cost. Never before has it been more important to define a clear vision of supply chain excellence and be clear on governance–how to decide and what makes a good decision.

Supply Chain Planning Software 355

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply and Demand Procurement Analytics 355

My Office Apps

JANUARY 16, 2024

Start Your Year with Cloud-Based ERP: The Ultimate Guide to Operational Excellence Begin your year on a transformative note by embracing the power of Cloud-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Operational Excellence with Cloud-Based ERP Procurement Management Efficiently manage your procurement processes with ERP.

Eliminating Excel in Purchasing 105

Eliminating Excel in Purchasing Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics 105

SCMDOJO

JANUARY 9, 2025

Think of them as apples and gearseach essential and effective on its own, yet when combined; they create a formidable mechanism for achieving procurement excellence. However, they create an unbeatable duo for procurement excellence. This allows procurement professionals to base their decisions on hard evidence rather than intuition.

Optimal Sourcing 98

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Solutions Negotiating Skills 98

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 1, 2022

Theme 2: Online buying will fuel home delivery growth, challenges and new strategies. In 2023, consumers will be less forgiving and poised to buy from retailers whose delivery performance is commensurate with the rest of the shopping experience. Figure 1: U.S. Container Import Volume Year-over-Year Comparison. Somewhat nailed it.

Predictive Analytics Software 301

Predictive Analytics Software Logistics Network Optimization Software Cost Reduction Strategies Resource Reduction 301

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 16, 2023

Clear operating strategy and definition of supply chain excellence across plan, source, make and deliver. Most companies buy decision support technology, but do not redefine work to improve decisions. What Does Good Look Like? For me, there are ten characteristics that define a great S&OP process: Clear and Actionable. Governance.

S&OP 390

S&OP Supply and Demand Forecasting Supply Chain Design Software 390

The Logistics of Logistics

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

There, he navigated the complexities of the fuel desk, advising drivers nationwide on Comdata issues, optimizing purchase orders, and leveraging tax advantages. Excelling as an inside sales manager, account manager, and mentor, he led a broker team to achieve a monumental revenue goal of $40 million.

Supply Chain Network Software 246

Supply Chain Network Software Network Optimization St. Louis Logistics Network Optimization Software 246

Logistics Viewpoints

MAY 11, 2023

Specifically, through modeling and simulation of a digital twin you’re able to ‘virtually try before you buy’ — modelling different scenarios quickly and easily without interrupting operations, or committing significant time and capital. Do they purchase a 3D warehouse simulation and modeling tool?

Modeling 312

Modeling Analytics Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software 312

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 14, 2021

Millions of shoppers, like my Dad, are not going back to their old habits because there are now faster and more convenient ways for buying daily household needs. It excels on a union of E-Commerce mobile apps and last-mile delivery innovations. It also provides an excellent part-time employment opportunity with flexible shifts.

Supply Chain Planning Software 300

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software 300